GMSMON-17 WILLISTON RESERVOIR TRIBUTARY - BC Hydro

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May 22, 2012 Report No. 1114920016-R-Rev0-2000 18 GMSMON-17 WILLISTON RESERVOIR TRIBUTARY HABITAT REVIEW afternoon of 23 May at the bridge crossing upstream on Ole Creek, a Wood Frog was heard calling and a Wood Frog egg mass was encountered; the wetland water temperature was 20º C. 3.3.2 Second site visit (7 to 8 June, 2011) Amphibian activity was relatively limited during this field session. Time-constrained surveys of key wetland habitat surrounding the two visited tributaries were completed. The only observed amphibian presence at the southern tributaries was an adult western toad found in a small wetland adjacent to Six Mile Creek. The water temperature in this wetland was 8°C. Northern tributaries were not visited during this field session. 3.3.3 Third site visit (8 to 18 August, 2011) Golder completed two more time-constrained surveys at Six Mile and Lamonti creeks and one each at Ole and Factor Ross creeks. Columbia spotted frogs and wood frogs were noted at Six Mile Creek and western toads at Lamonti Creek. Amphibians were not noted during this sampling session at Ole or Factor Ross creeks; however, an incidental adult Western toad was noted in the forest on the walk out to the road from Ole Creek. A full summary of amphibian findings is found in Table 4 in Appendix D. 3.4 Bird Surveys A total of 70 species were detected during the field program including 37 species at Six Mile Creek, 21 at Lamonti Creek, 29 at Factor Ross Creek, and 12 at Ole Creek. These are provided in Table 5, Appendix D. No species at risk were observed during the surveys; however, incidental observations of two provincially blue listed species were made in the vicinity of Factor Ross and Ole creeks: a Broad-Winged Hawk (Buteo platypterus) near Ole Creek and Surf Scoters (Melanitta perspicillata) on a small pond between Factor Ross and Ole creeks. Other notable observations include a Red-Throated Loon (Gavia stellata) in the Factor Ross inlet and a female Harlequin Duck (Histrionicus histrionicus) on Six-Mile Creek. Yellow-Rumped Warbler (Dendroica coronate), Pacific Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes), Golden-crowned Kinglet (Regulus satrapa), and Wilson’s Warbler (Wilsonia pusilla) were among the most commonly observed species. As this component of the monitoring program is expected to be discontinued in future years (discussed below), calculation for estimating relative abundance were not conducted. Copies of all point count data forms are provided in Appendix G. 3.5 Vegetation Surveys All lower portions of the four tributaries of interest are within the SBSmk2 biogeoclimatic unit. The SBSmk2 occurs around the lower shores of Williston Reservoir from south at MacKenzie north to Ingenika Arm (MacKinnon et al 1990). This BGC unit lies below the SBSwk2 (Williston Sub-Boreal Spruce wet cool unit) and the ESSFwk2 (Williston Englemann Spruce Subalpine Fir wet cool unit) in the south and the ESSFmv3 (Omineca Englemann Spruce Subalpine Fir moist very cold unit) in the north. As the SBSmk2 BGC unit is located within the rainshadow of the Omineca Mountains, it is the driest of the SBS units.
May 22, 2012 Report No. 1114920016-R-Rev0-2000 19 GMSMON-17 WILLISTON RESERVOIR TRIBUTARY HABITAT REVIEW In general, natural areas within the SBSmk2 are characterized by climax forests of hybrid white spruce (Picea glauca x engelmannii) with lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta var. latifolia) found on drier sites and sub-alpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa) typically found in wetter areas (MacKinnon et al. 1990). Medium moisture and nutrient (zonal) sites are typically characterized by an understory dominated by a mixture of shrubs including: highbush cranberry (Viburnum edule), prickly rose (Rosa acicularis), black twinberry (Lonicera involucrata), black huckleberry (Vaccinium membranaceum), Sitka alder (Alnus viridis ssp. sinuata) and thimbleberry (Rubus parviflorus). The herb layer is diverse and includes bunchberry (Cornus canadensis), palmate coltsfoot (Petasites palmatus), twinflower (Linnaea borealis), trailing raspberry (Rubus pubescens), false Solomon’s seal (Smilacina racemosa) and an extensive moss layer dominated by red-stemmed feathermoss (Pleurozium schreberi), knight’s plume (Ptilium crista-castrensis), and step moss (Hylocomium splendens). Riparian areas typical of the SBSmk2 are characterized by stands of hybrid white spruce, subalpine fir and lodgepole pine with an understory of devil’s club (Oplopanax horridus), black gooseberry (Ribes lacustre) and horsetail species (Equisetum sp.) (MacKinnon et al. 1990). The primary site series located in the riparian areas of each tributary are 05 (Hybrid white spruce (Sxw) – Oak Fern), and 06 (Hybrid white spruce (Sxw) – Horsetail)). The 06 site series is typically found on fluvial floodplain areas and was noted in the area immediately adjacent to each tributary, whereas the 05 site series was typically located slightly farther from each tributary at the toe of a slope but that is influenced by the water table. Ole Creek had extensive areas of 05 site series adjacent to the creek and devil’s club was quite prevalent. 3.5.1 Six Mile and Lamonti Creeks Four transects were established at both Six Mile and Lamonti creeks and consisted of transects SV1-SV4 and LV1-LV4, respectively. Data cards are found in Appendix E. Vegetation surrounding the mouths of each creek included a mixture of shrub-layer black cottonwood (Populus balsamifera ssp. trichocarpa), Sitka willow (Salix sitchensis), MacKenzie’s willow (Salix prolixa), mountain alder (Alnus tenuifolia), black twinberry, trapper’s tea (Ledum glandulosum), skunk currant (Ribes glandulosum), and red raspberry (Rubus idaeus). There was recent evidence of extensive blowdown likely caused during large storm events over the winter of 2010 to 2011 (Herzog, K. personal communication, May 2011). As a result, there were very few remaining standing large trees within the first 100 to 150 m upstream of both creeks. Transect SV4 had a large amount of fallen woody debris (in total, 3.35 m (or 22%) of the 15 m transect was comprised of fallen woody debris). Due to extensive blowdown events, tree quadrats had low numbers of trees. Trees were not noted within the quadrats for SV1 or LV1. The highest number of trees was found in LV4 which had a mix of 12 hybrid white spruce and sub-alpine fir Layer 4 trees. Other predominant vegetation species included: paper birch (Betula papyrifera), showy aster (Aster conspicuus), oak fern (Gymnocarpium dryopteris), common horsetail (Equisetum arvense), northern scouring-rush (Equisetum variegatum), bluejoint (Calamagrostis canadensis), beaked sedge (Carex rostrata), ragged moss (Brachythecium sp.), and common leafy moss (Plagiomnium medium). Bank characteristics along Six Mile creek showed some bank erosion especially along bank sections where the creek bends, and minor undercutting also in these sections. Canopy cover over the creek was variable with lowest cover found at SV1 (1.7 cover) and highest at SV4 (15% cover). Bank stability along Lamonti was moderately stable at the lower sections of the creek (LV1 and LV4); however, at LV2, there was extensive erosion of the bank. At this location, the top of bank was quite high (at least 2 to 3 m above the creek) and the bank was composed of large cobbles and sandy material. Farther upstream along Lamonti, just downstream from the bridge, there was evidence of flooding over the top of bank which is indicative that spring flows likely
Page 1 and 2: Peace Project Water Use Plan Willis
Page 3 and 4: Authors May 22, 2012 Report No. 111
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Page 7 and 8: Acknowledgements May 22, 2012 Repor
Page 11 and 12: 1.0 INTRODUCTION May 22, 2012 Repor
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Common Name Purple Finch Red-Breast
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APPENDIX F Fish Site Cards May 22,
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APPENDIX H Vegetation Survey Forms
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Golder Associates Ltd. 220 - 1755 S
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GMSMON-17 WILLISTON RESERVOIR TRIBUTARY - BC Hydro

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